Crows and growing garden corn

[Podunkadunk]

I need to find a way to get rid of them too. They will pick the river bottom clean of corn and since we are building our house on the ridge above the bottom this year I will not have time to try and scare them or shoot them.

Will be able to do this next year though .

I am going to try the owl on a pole.

Also what do you think about a fake crow to use instead of a dead one. I tied a fake crow in a tree at my BIL house a couple of years ago when he was being over run with crows and shooting them every morning. He look out of his kitchen window and saw this crow (fake one) in a tree, snuck out the back door and had the crosshairs on him ready to shoot when he noticed it would not move. He thought it had died standing up in the tree . So it fooled him. But now that I think about it the crows may be smarter!

I read on the internet that Crows/Ravens are THE smartest birds on this planet...even over African Grey Parrots! I don't think a fake anything will work. I was a Flight Engineer in the Navy, got over 5k hours in the air. I spent a lot of time on the aprons waiting for permission to taxi/takeoff. I have personally seen a lot of birds sitting atop the fake Owls by the runway used to deter bird strikes on aircraft. They DON'T WORK!

 

[archerynut]

I have heard that crows and owls are mortal enemies. Have heard from various old timers that owl decoys will keep the crows away. Haven't had any reason to try it quite yet.

 

[WayneB]

Move to New England as crows up here are lonely souls! Shot two and you maybe have the entire flock.

You can't plant your corn until around may 30th and you will be eating corn if your lucky toward the end of August.

 

[meadowlarkponds]

The dead crow on the fence sounds like a good idea. I'll definitely try that. Thanks. Some things that don't work for me include the traditional scarecrows, pie tins strung around the garden, and those fake owl heads.

Corn seed went into the ground yesterday so I've got about a week to string up a dead crow...or turn on Rush Lim to scare them away. Thanks everyone.

 

[ToadHill]

I have used the dead crow trick but I put up a T in the middle of the corn patch then hang the dead crow by a string by the feet from one side if the T. Let it swing with the wind, never have crow problems while they hang.

 

[zeuspaul]

I am making small *cages* out of plastic hardware cloth. I make them out of a cut piece of 1/2 inch black plastic cloth 2 ft x 1 ft with three plastic black ties. The cage is about 7+ in diameter and 12 in high. Cost is about 80 cents each. The plan is to hold it in place with one or two 24 in bamboo sticks ($1.78 per 25 pack at Lowes) and plant two or three corn seeds in each one. Then thin to one seed per basket and remove the cage and use it again for a second planting.

Will it work? How big should the corn plant be when I remove the cage?

Zeuspaul

 

[Jstpssng]

I don't have that problem but my father has been starting his corn in his greenhouse, in plastic trays with 1inch square cells. By the time they outgrow the cells (4-6 inches tall) the crows won't bother them.

You don't need a greenhouse; just build a box with 12 inch sides and cover it with an old window sash. (Or use galvanised steel hardware cloth, if frost isn't a concern)

 

[jinman]

Last year the 'coons, crows, and corn earworms led a coordinated attack against my beautiful little corn patch. This year I have them outsmarted by a military tactic. I'm gonna outmaneuver them and harvest all my corn in the veggie aisle of Wal*Mart.

 

[Bird]

Jim, maybe you didn't use enough corn seed. You know you're supposed to use the rule of 5:

One for the worm
One for the crow
One to rot, and
Two to grow

 

[archerynut]

Bird,

That rule of five is pretty interesting. Last year in my veggie garden, it was more like a rule of nine.

2 for the deer
1 for the rabbit
1 for the groundhog
1 to rot
2 to eat
2 for friends and family to pilfer from the garden